Doctors have been adding their criticism to a controversial new NHS database that will hold digital patient records. The British Medical Association has now written a letter to the Health Secretary Andy Burnham to express their views on the proposed Summary Care Record System. The group says that while they agree to the ideas behind the new database, they are worried about certain aspects of it. Dr Grant Ingrams, a member of the BMA told ‘the Guardian’ that he thinks patient’s rights are not being respected. "It is about allowing patients to decide what information about them is used. This is information that belongs to them and may include embarrassing information," he said.


The new system has been criticised for many reasons. One is that it works upon the basis of assumed consent, which means that people who do not agree to their details being kept on such a record have to opt out of the scheme. Otherwise, the NHS will presume that you don’t mind being on this database. The health service claim that the system will help to improve the level of care that a patient receives if they visit a hospital or if they access out of hours services by allowing doctors and other nursing staff to see information that is normally only held by GPs. To begin with the Summary Care Records will only have basic information but with time the NHS intend to put most of a patient’s medical records on them. People who don’t like the idea of this system may wish to find an alternative to the NHS altogether, particularly if they wish to bypass waiting lists as well, and take out a quote for private medical insurance.